Flash (DC)
The Flash is the name of several characters in the DC Universe.
The Flash is the Fastest Man Alive. The protector of Central City and Keystone City, fighting against evil using his super-speed and a dedicated sense of heroism.
While several other individuals have used the name Flash, these have lived either on other parallel worlds, or in the future. Jay Garrick, Barry Allen, and Wally West are the best-known exemplars of the identity.
Nicknamed the "Scarlet Speedster", the "Crimson Comet", "The Blur", and "The Streak", all incarnations of the Flash possess "super speed", which includes the ability to run and move extremely fast, use superhuman reflexes, and seemingly violate certain laws of physics. Thus far, four different characters—each of whom somehow gained the power of "super-speed"—have assumed the identity of the Flash: Jay Garrick, Barry Allen, Wally West, and Bart Allen. Before Wally and Bart's ascension to the mantle of the Flash, they were both Flash protégés under the same name Kid Flash (Bart was also known as Impulse).
Contents |
The Flash (Golden Age)
- Main Article: Jay Garrick
Pre-Crisis
Jay Garrick was a college student in 1938 who accidentally inhaled heavy water vapors after taking a smoke break inside his laboratory where he had been working. As a result, he found that he could run at superhuman speed and had similarly fast reflexes. After a brief career as a college football star, he donned a red shirt with a lightning bolt and a stylized metal helmet with wings (based on images of the Greek deity Hermes), and began to fight crime as the Flash. (Flash Comics v1 #1)
His first case involved battling the "Faultless Four", a group of blackmailers. Garrick kept his identity secret for years without a mask by continually vibrating his body while in public so that any photograph of his face would be blurred.
Although originally from Earth-Two, he was incorporated into the history of New Earth following the Crisis on Infinite Earths and is still active as the Flash operating out of Keystone City. He is a member of the Justice Society.
Post-Crisis
Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. Jay Garrick
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. Jay Garrick
The Flash (Barry Allen)
- Main Article: Barry Allen
Pre-Crisis
Barry Allen was an assistant scientist from the Criminal and Forensic Science Division of Central City Police Department. Barry has a reputation for being very slow, deliberate, and frequently late, which frustrated his fiancée, Iris West. One night, as he was preparing to leave work, a freak lightning bolt struck a nearby shelf in his lab and doused him with a cocktail of unnamed chemicals.
Whilst at the police laboratory, lightning struck the room and caused a number of the chemicals present to spill on him. He gained the ability to travel at super-speed where he began to experiment with his new abilities. Allen later saved his date Iris West from a stray bullet that was fired by the villainous Turtle Man. This inspired him to become a superhero where he drew inspiration from the adventures of the Flash and made a costume for himself. (Showcase v1 #4)
As a result, Barry found that he could run extremely fast and had matching reflexes. He donned a set of red tights sporting a lightning bolt , dubbed himself the Flash , and became a crimefighter active in Central City. In his civilian identity, he stores the costume compressed in a special ring via the use of a special gas that could compress cloth fibers to a very small fraction of their normal size. He is also named by some as the most important character of the DC Universe.
Barry sacrificed his life for the universe in the 1985 maxi-series Crisis on Infinite Earths, and remained dead for over twenty years after that story's publication. With the 2008 series Final Crisis, Barry returned to the DC Universe and returned to full prominence as the Flash in the 2009 series The Flash: Rebirth, which was soon after followed by a new volume of The Flash ongoing series, where Barry's adventures as the Scarlet Speedster are currently published.
Post-Crisis
Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events.
Shortly afterward, although his family and friends were overjoyed that he was back, Barry himself was uneasy, as he was unable to explain how he alone escaped the Speed Force, while others such as Max Mercury and Johnny Quick were still trapped inside. Deciding not to waste this second chance, Barry went to the Flash Museum to catch up on what he had missed. While there, he met up with his old friend, Hal Jordan, who had also died and returned. Barry discussed his unease over his return with Hal, and how he felt that he did not need to come back. Barry told Hal to tell Wally and Jay that he wasn't going to the parties that had been set up in honor of his return, then sped off on patrol. While running, a rogue speedster Wally had encountered named Savitar somehow escaped the Speed Force through Barry. When Barry managed to catch him, Savitar disintegrated before Barry's eyes. (The Flash: Rebirth v1 #1) Wonder Woman had used her connections to arrange for a cover story to explain Barry Allen's civilian absence. Iris was aware of this with it being said that Barry Allen had returned from Witness Protection in order to explain his death and absence for many years. He later accompanied Hal Jordan to Fallville to investigate the speed surge among the speedsters where the pair discovered the Black Flash's deceased body. The pair were attacked by Christina Alexandrova who was angry at her master Savitar's demise after his contact with Allen. Alexandrova's body began to disintegrate after being in contact with Barry whereupon his body began to transform as he was being turned into the new Black Flash. (The Flash: Rebirth v1 #2)
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events.
In 1938, Jay was a student at Midwestern University. He got good grades and played for the football team, but he was a mediocre player and had little social life, being too nervous to approach girls. He was dissatisfied with his life, always trying to achieve greatness but never quite making it. Professor Hughes, a professor at the college, asked Jay to help him with his research and Jay eagerly agreed, excited that Hughes apparently saw something in him. For the next three years they worked together on formulas to make men faster and stronger. They made significant progress, particularly when Jay came up with the idea of using hard water as a catalyst. Jay's self-esteem improved as their research progressed, giving him the confidence he needed to ask out Joan Williams and they started dating. One night, Professor Hughes tasked Jay with separating the elements from a formula and left, promising to return in a few hours. Jay completed the task and then lit up a cigarette, leaning on the lab bench. Suddenly it collapsed and the equipment fell on him, shattering and releasing the gases from the formula. Jay passed out from the fumes and was unconscious for three hours until Professor Hughes came back in. Jay believed this was an accident, but in fact Hughes had engineered the whole thing in an attempt to create a superhuman. Jay was rushed to hospital but quickly made a full recovery and discovered that he had gained superhuman speed as a result of the "accident". After graduation, Jay became the costumed adventurer The Flash. (Jay Garrick: The Flash v1 #4)
After a 4 month long months in a coma after the accident, Barry was stunned to regain consciousness only to discover he'd gained super-speed abilities. Struggling to gain control over his new powers, he first stumbled from the hospital to his apartment, and then from his apartment to his old CSI lab, where he quickly clothed himself and was confronted by August Heart, who thought somebody was in the lab who wasn't allowed only to discover his best friend's presence, to his elation. August offered to inform Director Singh that Barry had returned, but Barry turned him down, telling him that he had a person case he wanted to investigate first. (The Flash v5 #70)
The Flash (Wally West)
- Main Article: Wally West
Pre-Crisis
Wallace Rudolph "Wally" West is the nephew of Iris West and of Barry Allen.
Young Wally West was the nephew of Iris West and the president of the Flash Fan Club in his home town. Iris introduced Wally to her boyfriend Barry Allen and hoped he could arrange a meeting between Wally and his idol Flash. Barry made a quick change out of sight and introduced himself as Flash, delighting the boy, who said this was the coolest moment of his life. Wally wanted to do a report on Flash when he got home and asked Flash how he got his superspeed powers. Flash said he'd do better than tell Wally, he'd show him. Flash showed him the chemical lab in Barry's apartment, and explained that two years ago he was in an almost identical lab when lightning stuck, splashing a number of chemicals on him and giving him superspeed. In a billion-to-one coincidence the accident was recreated when a lightning bolt came through the window, splashing the same chemicals on young Wally West. Flash tested Wally and found that he'd also acquired the power of superspeed. Deciding to mentor the boy Flash presented him with a ring like his own that released a miniature Flash costume that expanded on contact with the air. Wally tried out the suit, and Flash dubbed him Kid Flash, making him promise to only use his powers for good and never self gain. Flash had to go to his day job as police scientist and left Kid Flash alone in the apartment to test his new powers. Kid Flash heard a news report about dangerous zoo animals being set loose by a disgruntled former zoo employee and went into action. Flash had heard the same news report, but by the time he arrived at the zoo Kid Flash had already taken care of the situation. Flash was pleased he'd always have someone to help him in his fight against evil and injustice. Wally had to return home, but was thrilled at becoming Flash's friend and sidekick. (The Flash v1 #110)
Post-Crisis
Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events.
Wally took Barry's uniform and declared himself the Flash, just until Barry returned. However, the rest of the population did not share Wally's feeling that Barry was still alive, and they also did not appreciate Wally's attempts at filling Barry's boots. After being publicly embarrassed in a fight with Doctor Alchemy, Green Lantern declared that he would protect Central City. For about a week, Wally donned his Kid Flash costume again. However, during the next fight with Doctor Alchemy, it finally dawned on him that Barry was not coming back. He saved Green Lantern and Jay Garrick from Doctor Alchemy leading him to be accepted as the Flash. (The Flash Annual v2 #8)
Wally, his wife and twins were pulled back from the Speed Force by the Legion of Super-Heroes at the conclusion of The Lightning Saga.[10] This set the stage for Wally West's return as the Flash after the events of The Flash: Fastest Man Alive #13 (see Bart Allen), in All Flash #1, and with The Flash (vol. 2) series, which resumed with issue #231 in August 2007. It subsequently ends with issue #247, and West, along with all the other Flash characters, play a large role in 2009's The Flash: Rebirth.
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. Wally West
During the Darkseid War, the conflict between the powerful cosmic beings weakened the barriers between dimensions. Whilst attempting to evade the Black Racer, Barry Allen could hear the voice of Wally West but could not make it out. (Justice League v2 #50) Following the conflict, Wally West managed to escape from the Speed Force but found that the changes to the time-stream meant that no one remembered his existence. (DCU: Rebirth v1 #1)
The Flash (Bart Allen)
- Main Article: Bart Allen
Bartholomew Henry "Bart" Allen II is the grandson of Barry Allen and his wife Iris. Bart suffered from accelerated aging and, as a result, was raised in a virtual reality machine until Iris took him back in time to get help from the then-current Flash, Wally West. With Wally's help, Bart's aging slowed, and he took the name Impulse. After he was shot in the knee by Deathstroke, Bart changed both his attitude and his costume, taking the mantle of Kid Flash. During the events of Infinite Crisis, the Speed Force vanished, taking with it all the speedsters save Jay Garrick. Bart returned, four years older, and for a year claimed that he was depowered from the event. However, the Speed Force had not disappeared completely, but had been absorbed into Bart's body; essentially, he now contained all of the Speed Force.
Bart's costume as the Flash was a clone of his grandfather's, similarly stylized to Wally West's. Not long after taking the mantle of the Flash, Bart was killed by the Rogues in the 13th (and final) issue of The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive. However, he was later resurrected in the 31st century in Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds #3 by Brainiac 5 to combat Superboy-Prime and the Legion of Super-Villains. Writer Geoff Johns confirmed that Bart will return to the past and play a large role in The Flash: Rebirth
Bart Allen was the son of Meloni Thawne and Don Allen who was one of the Tornado Twins that lived in the 30th century. This made him the grandson of Barry Allen and Iris West where he inherited his ancestors superspeed. (Impulse v1 #23) Shortly after his birth, the family came under attack from the time-travelling Professor Zoom who sought to prevent a union between the rival families of the Allen's and the Thawne's. This saw Don, his sister Dawn and Meloni attempted to flee to a parallel Earth through the Cosmic Treadmill though the device was sabotaged by Zoom thus causing an explosion that created a tear in the Multiverse. Despite his efforts, Zoom was ultimately defeated by three different versions of the Legion of Super-Heroes though Bart along with his family came to be stranded on Earth-247. (Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds v1 #3) Bart's father Don and aunt were said to had perished in defeating the threat of the Dominators of their era leaving Meloni a lone parent to her son. However, a faction of Dominators struck where they kidnapped the infant Bart due to his parentage and wanted to conduct experiments on him. He was freed by EarthGov with the Science Police freeing him but the boys abilities fascinated them as well. Thus, they decided to tell Bart's mother Meloni that her son had died and tricked her into going on the run after masquerading that she died in an effort to keep her away. During this time, Bart's hypermetabolism spiralled out of control causing him to age at an exponential rate thus forcing the scientists studying him to placing him in a virtual reality environment to keep up his mental development. Around this time, the boy's grandmother Iris West began to investigate and used her news reporter instincts to determine that EarthGov was lying about Bart. She then made her move to free Bart Allen from his captive environment where with the help of her biological parents she took her grandson into the past of the 20th century so that her nephew Wally West could help cure him of his hypermetabolism problem. (Impulse v1 #23) Upon arriving in the present day, Iris came separated from her grandson with Bart operating at superspeed and struggling to operate in the real world as he came to believe it to be another virtual reality simulation. In this disoriented state, he was half-way around the world when the Flash Wally West came to help him but Bart attacked him instead. (Flash v2 #92) Bart attempted to flee but the more he ran then the quicker he went through a painful aging process. Wally was in pursuit and decided to give his hypermetabolism a push so that it would better adjust to his superspeed and thus operate normally. He then helped save his grandmother Iris West along with Linda Park from members of the Kobra Cult. (Flash v2 #93)
Overview
All incarnations of the Flash can move, think, and react at light speeds as well as having superhuman endurance that allows them to run incredible distances. Some, notably later versions, can vibrate so fast that they can pass through walls in a process called quantum tunneling, travel through time and can also lend and borrow speed. Furthermore, all members have an invisible aura around their bodies that prevents themselves and their clothes from being affected by air friction as they move at high speed. Speedsters could heal more rapidly than the average human.
As an extradimensional lightning, all speedsters had access to it that appeared as a storm of never-ending lightning. (The Flash: Rebirth v1 #1) The Speed Force was the source of their hyper-velocity abilities of speedsters. (JLA v1 #40) It was also described as being an absolute barrier with those running two fast being lost inside of it. (JSA v1 #20) The Speed Force was more than a fuel source for speedsters with it reacting to the state of mind. (Flash: Rebirth v1 #3) Travelling at the speed of light allowed a person to enter into the Speed Force but they could become trapped in there. (Teen Titans Annual v6 #1) When approaching the speed of light, a Speed Force user created time rifts whereby objects or people could be sucked into the vortex and displaced anywhere in the timeline. (Flash v4 #5)
Certain speedsters could tap into the Speed Force and use it to create constructs. This involved using pure Speed Force that was condensed into three dimensional space. It could be fashioned into a suit that could support its user if they were injured and also release its energy to other speedsters to recharge their own reserves. Such speedcostumes were an aerodynamic blur around their user that felt warm and alive with the speedster able to feel its surface. It could adapt to wind resistance and friction to the point that it could be classed as being alien technology from the Speed dimension where it was a machine that was worn by its user. The speedsuits were said to be air-conditioned and responded to the thoughts of the bearer. The costume was capable of calculating and adapting its form in order to protect the wearer. If damaged, it could take seconds for the suit to reform over its user. (The Flash v2 #132)
On several occasions, the Flash has raced against Superman, either to determine who is faster or as part of a mutual effort to thwart some type of threat; these races, however, often resulted in ties because of outside circumstances. Writer Jim Shooter and artist Curt Swan crafted the story "Superman's Race With the Flash!" in Superman #199 (Aug. 1967) which featured the first race between the Flash and Superman.[16] Writer E. Nelson Bridwell and artist Ross Andru produced "The Race to the End of the Universe", a follow-up story four months later in The Flash #175 (Dec. 1967).[17] However, after the DC Universe revision after Crisis on Infinite Earths, The Flash does successfully beat Superman in a race in Adventures of Superman #463 with the explanation that Superman is not accustomed to running at high speed for extended periods of time since flying is more versatile and less strenuous, which means the far more practiced Flash has the advantage. After Final Crisis in Flash: Rebirth #3 the Flash is shown as being much faster than Superman, able to out run him as Superman struggles to keep up with him. He reveals that all the close races between them had been "for charity". In the Smallville episode "Run", Flash is not only able to run faster than a pre-Superman Clark Kent but can match Clark's top speed while running backwards.
Speedsters may at times use the ability to speed-read at incredible rates and in doing so, process vast amounts of information. Whatever knowledge they acquire in this manner is usually temporary (Bart Allen seems to be the exception, though in earlier years, Max Mercury believed that Bart's speed learning would not stick).[volume & issue needed] Their ability to think fast also allows them some immunity to telepathy, as their thoughts operate at a rate too rapid for telepaths such as Martian Manhunter or Gorilla Grodd to read or influence their minds.
Flashes and other super-speedsters also have the ability to speak to one another at a highly accelerated rate. This is often done to have private conversations in front of non-fast people (as when Flash speaks to Superman about his ability to serve both the Titans and the JLA in The Titans #2). Speed-talking is also sometimes used for comedic effect where Flash becomes so excited that he begins talking faster and faster until his words become a jumble of noise. He also has the ability to change the vibration of his vocal chords making it so he can change how his voice sounds to others.
The Flash has also claimed that he can process thoughts in less than an attosecond.
The Speed Force was stated as being an infinite realm of velocity that feeds all motion in the universe. (JLA v1 #82) It was claimed that the Speed Force was the life blood of time itself. (Flash Annual v4 #3) As an extradimensional lightning, all speedsters had access to it that appeared as a storm of never-ending lightning. (The Flash: Rebirth v1 #1) The Speed Force was the source of their hyper-velocity abilities of speedsters. (JLA v1 #40) It was also described as being an absolute barrier with those running two fast being lost inside of it. (JSA v1 #20) The Speed Force was more than a fuel source for speedsters with it reacting to the state of mind. (Flash: Rebirth v1 #3) Travelling at the speed of light allowed a person to enter into the Speed Force but they could become trapped in there. (Teen Titans Annual v6 #1) When approaching the speed of light, a Speed Force user created time rifts whereby objects or people could be sucked into the vortex and displaced anywhere in the timeline. (Flash v4 #5)
Conduits to the Speed Force afforded the user a range of abilities including:
- Infinite Mass Punch : an ability used by Wally West whereby using the Speed Field and accelerating towards approaching lightspeed, the speedster body's mass began to increase towards infinity with them being able to strike with an incredibly powerful punch able to send powerful superhumans flying across continents. (JLA v1 #3) Thus, the faster they went the more mass they generated until they reached lightspeed whereupon their fists could strike with the force of a white dwarf star. (Flash v2 #148)
- Speed-Mind : increases the speed of thought allowing the user to calculate outcomes and see potential paths for the future. (Flash v4 #16)
- Speed-Talk : a wielder was able to lock their speed with another speedster creating a moment that was frozen allowing the two to speak to one another whilst time seemingly stopped around them with it appearing as a quick screech to outsiders. (The Flash v5 #12)
By channelling the Speed Force, a speedster could sense things that were disrupting space-time. (Nightwing v4 #21)
An item used by some members of the Flash family was the costume ring. (Showcase v1 #4) The electromagnetic properties of the Speed Force created a thermal expansion allowing for the pieces of the suit to shrink and expand where it conducted the pieces around the users body at will. (The Flash v4 #0) It was said that the ring could shoot out the costume with a force equal to nine airbags. (The Flash v1 #763)
The Flash Museum was a building created by the inhabitants of Central City for their local superhero who was the speedster known as the Flash. The people had raised money for the building that served as a tribute to him. (The Flash v1 #154)
Notes
- The concept of the Flash was created by Gardner Fox and Harry Lampert where it made its first appearance in Flash Comics v1 #1 (January, 1940).
Alternate Versions
- In Tangent Comics: Flash v1 #1 (1997), an alternate version of the Flash named Lia Nelson appeared in the Tangent Comics world set on Earth 9 in the Multiverse. She was a celebrity from the time of her birth, as her parents were the first astronauts to go on the Jupiter Mission. Her mother was somewhat of a minor hero herself and her father was an agent of Nightwing, though not very good at his job. After learning control of her power, she adapted the alias of the Flash. Though because of the circumstances of the attention she received when she was younger, Lia could never decide whether or not she was a celebrity or a hero.
- In Just Imagine: Flash v1 #1 (2002), an alternate version of the Flash named Mary Maxwell appeared in the Just Imagine world set on Earth 6 in the Multiverse. Inadvertently stuck with a syringe full of hummingbird DNA, Mary Maxwell finally got her dream when she developed super powers in the form of incredible speed. She later helped form the Justice League and battle the Doom Patrol.
- In Countdown to Adventure v1 #3 (2007), an alternate world in the Multiverse was shown in Earth-33 that was ruled by magic where resided the League of Shamans. Lady Flash was a member who could cast Speed Storm magic to drain kinetic energy from her targets.
- In Batman Beyond Unlimited v1 #13 (2013), an alternate version of the Flash was shown on a world designated as Earth-13 set in the Batman Beyond setting. In this future, the Flash was the young African-American teenager named Danica Williams in the 2040's where she gained a connection to the Speed Force giving her super-speed abilities. This connection to the Speed Force also allowed her to commune with her predecessors Wally West, Jay Garrick and Bart Allen who resided there who provided her guidance whilst also making her mind difficult to control for a telepath. She came to work at the Flash Museum in Central City whilst secretly operating as a superhero speedster.
- In Gotham City Garage v1 (2017), the Flash was shown to exist in the alternate world setting where he was a superpowered agent of Lex Luthor and served the Garden.
In other media
Television
- In the DC Animated Universe, the Flash made multiple appearances in the shared continuity setting:
- In the Arrowverse, the Flash made multiple appearances in the shared continuity setting:
- In The Flash, the Flash Barry Allen appeared in the setting of the live-action television series where he was portrayed by actor Grant Gustin.
Films
- In The Flash, Barry Allen appeared as the Flash in the setting of the 2023 live-action film.
- In Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths - Part One, the Flash Barry Allen appeared in the setting of the 2024 animated film where he was voiced by actor Matt Bomer.
Video games
- In Injustice: Gods Among Us, Barry Allen as the Flash appeared in the setting of the fighting video game.
- In Injustice 2, Barry Allen as the Flash appeared in the setting of the fighting video game.
Appearances
- Flash Comics v1: (1940)
- The Flash v1:
- Flash:
- The Flash:
- Flashpoint v1:
